New student borrowers wishing to apply for a Subsidized Federal Direct Loan and/or Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan need to complete the following:

1. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
2. Accept loan(s) on WyoWeb, under the Student Financials Tab, Financial Aid Awards
3. Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (this only needs to be done when you apply for your first Federal Direct Loan at UW) after accepting the loan, WyoWeb will show a new financial requirement for the MPN, this will have a link to complete your MPN on the Federal Direct Loans MPN website. It may be a couple business days before you see the requirement.
4. Entrance Loan Counseling (this only needs to be completed if you are a first time loan borrower)

Annual and Aggregate Loan Limits

Interest Rates

Direct Subsidized Loans: The borrower is not charged interest while at least a half-time student and during grace periods and deferment periods.

• Undergraduate students—If the first disbursement of your subsidized loan is between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011, the interest rate on your loan is fixed at 4.5%. The interest rate on subsidized loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012 will be fixed at 3.4%.
• Graduate and professional degree students—The interest rate is fixed at 6.8%.

Direct Unsubsidized Loans: Interest accrues from the time it's first paid out. The borrower can pay the interest while in school, during grace periods, and deferment, or allow it to accrue and be capitalized. If the borrower chooses not to pay the interest as it accrues, this will increase the total amount to repay.

• 6.8% for all borrowers (undergraduate and graduate)

For more information visit studentaid.ed.gov

Process

Once your award is accepted and when you meet all requirements, we will certify your application. Once certified, your application will be sent to the US Department of Education. Your loan funds will then be deposited directly to your UW student account when your funds are sent to UW, and will be applied toward the payment of your UW charges. Any remaining amount will be mailed to you at your mailing address (change via WyoWeb, under the Student Resources Tab) in the form of a credit balance check.

If you are going to or have recently graduated, left college, or dropped below half-time status, you will be invited to complete a loan exit interview online. This session explains the borrower's rights and responsibilities and provide details about repayment options.

Repayment

A loan is a form of aid that must be repaid with interest. The Federal Direct Loan interest rate is fixed. The interest rate is set annually, on July 1. You have a six-month grace period which begins once you leave school, graduate, or drop below half-time status. You have a choice of several repayment plans designed to meet the different needs of the individual borrower. If you have questions about repayment, it's best to contact your lender.

The U.S. Department of Education's National Student Loan Data System^SM (NSLDS^SM) provides information on your federal loans including loan types, disbursed amounts, outstanding principal and interest, and the total amount of all your loans. To access NSLDS, go to www.nslds.ed.gov.

If you're not sure who your loan servicer is, you can look it up on  www.nslds.ed.gov or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243; TTY 1-800-730-8913).

Deferment

A deferment of required payments on a loan can be granted in some circumstances. Deferments may be authorized for

• current enrollment in school
• study in an eligible graduate fellowship program
• study in an approved rehabilitation training program for the disabled
• up to three years during periods in which the borrower is seeking and unable to find full-time employment
• up to three years during periods that the lender determines will cause the borrower economic hardship
• up to two years while serving a required internship or residency
• up to three years while temporarily totally disabled or required to provide full-time care for a disabled dependent
• up to three years while teaching in a designated teacher shortage area
• up to three years while serving in the U.S. armed forces or U.S. Public Health Service
• up to three years while serving in the Peace Corps
• up to three years while serving in ACTION
• up to three years while working as a full-time volunteer for a tax-exempt organization
• up to three years while serving in the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Corps
• up to six months while on parental leave
• up to one year as a working mother

For details on qualifying for these deferments, please contact your lender or our student loan staff by phone at 307-766-3886 or by email at finaid@uwyo.edu.

Problem Resolution - Ombudsman's Office

Experience has shown that the best and quickest way to resolve a problem is to contact the person or office involved. If you are having a problem related to your loan, and you are unable to resolve that problem to your satisfaction with UW, your lender, a servicer, or your guarantor, you may contact the Ombudsman's office in the U.S. Department of Education. A representative of this office will research your situation, help you to understand the loan process and requirements, and intervene on your behalf should that become necessary.